


Slow and Steady

by lauraxtennant



Series: Ten/Rose Collection 2014 [4]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Fluff, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Massage, Romance, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-22
Updated: 2014-08-27
Packaged: 2018-02-14 06:19:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2181162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lauraxtennant/pseuds/lauraxtennant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor and Rose spend a few days on the TARDIS together, growing closer as they push at the boundaries of their friendship to explore whether a more intimate relationship is on the cards.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thebaddestwolf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thebaddestwolf/gifts).



> Written for thebaddestwolf's birthday :D

“Ouch,” grumbled the Doctor, as he straightened his posture. His hand moved to his lower back and he groaned a little.

Rose swallowed the bit of toast she was chewing and asked, “You all right?”

He’d been bending down to fetch something out of a cupboard in the galley when he’d felt the twinge. “Yeah. Just…” He rubbed at his back. “I dunno. My back’s killing me.”

"I can help you with that, if you want," Rose offered casually, taking a sip of her tea.

His eyes widened. “I’m sorry?”

"Mum said I was really good at giving back massages. Even tried to get me to go on a course for it, and all that. Too expensive though. Still, luckily Keisha’s aunt was a trained masseuse, so she taught me some stuff for free.” She placed her mug on the table and stood up, walking over to him. “I’ll give you a demo, turn around."

"No, no, it’s okay. I’ll be fine." He cleared his throat. "Thank you, though."

Rose shrugged. “Suit yourself.” She leant against the counter. “What were you after, anyway?”

“Hmm?”

“In the cupboard?”

“Oh!” He smiled brightly. “Could you get the Resdolian crackers out of the cupboard for me?”

Rose laughed as she bent down to find them. “Dunno why you like these so much. I still say they taste like that horrible cocktail we had in that bar Jack took us to in New New Denmark.”

“Well, I like them. Perfect with that raspberry jam we nabbed the other day.”

“Ugh,” she said, handing the packet of crackers over to him. “Just make sure you brush your teeth after, yeah?”

“Why? Time Lords have excellent dental hygiene, not like you lot -”

“Just don’t want your cracker and jam breath lingering around me wherever we go.”

“Well you’ll just have to make sure you don’t get too close to me, then,” he grinned, waggling his eyebrows. “Think you can go a whole day without hugging me, Rose Tyler?”

“Doctor, it’s you that’s the hugger in this relation- friendship.”

“Is not,” he scoffed.

Rose raised her eyebrows and stared at him.

The Doctor sniffed. “Well, all right, maybe a bit.”

“What are the plans for today, anyway?”

“Actually, do you mind if we stay in?” he asked, tugging on his ear. “I know I don’t often say this, and I will deny it vehemently if you tell anyone, but I could do with a rest.”

She patted him on the arm. “It’s okay, Doctor. Your secret’s safe with me.” She winked at him and started to leave the kitchen.

“Where you off to?”

Rose gestured to her pyjamas. “Gonna get ready.”

“Oh.”

“What?”

“Well, it’s just, you might as well stay in your pjs if we’re staying in. Unless you plan to go to the rock-climbing room or something, just to spite me and my sore back.”

Laughing, Rose came back over to him and looped her arm through his. “All right, grumpy. Let’s go plonk ourselves on the sofa and watch a film. Just don’t get those crackers near me.”

::

Sitting at either end of the sofa in front of a widescreen telly in Rose’s favourite corner of the library, they playfully flicked back and forth between channels, Rose using the conventional remote control, the Doctor utilising a setting on his sonic screwdriver.

“Not fair, Doctor, come on. We watched a whole series of this a few weeks back. Time for my choice - ” She changed the channel to an intergalactic chat show. “Let’s have some light entertainment for a change.”

“But Rachia and Sask were just about to get caught! We can’t miss that.”

“Watch your spy drama soap opera when I’m asleep, I refuse to watch it anymore. I’m not rooting for Rachia and Sask at all; everyone knows Sask should be going out with Rio.”

The Doctor gasped. “How can you say such a thing!”

“Rachia ruined everything when they told the head of the BIAS that Sask was a double agent. Why would Sask trust them after that? Writer’s gone barmy.”

“Rose, you don’t know what you’re saying. You don’t know how it ends. How can you judge something before you know how it works out for them?”

She turned to him with a frown, lifting her legs up onto the sofa. “What, you’ve seen it before?”

The Doctor smirked, a little. “Maybe.”

“And you made me sit through all that torment?!”

“You loved it!”

“When I thought there was a chance in hell that Sask and Rio could get together in the end!”

“Who’s to say they don’t?”

Rose’s mouth dropped open. “Did you just _spoil_ the ending?”

“Only so that you’d be inclined to watch it with me!”

She shook her head at him and let out an exaggerated huff. “Fine. We can watch your stupid show.” She flicked the channel back over.

“Ha, you can’t fool me, Rose Tyler. It’s your stupid show too,” he teased. She kicked his thigh lightly and he grabbed her ankle, setting her calf across his lap. Squeezing her knee, he continued, “Now, now, don’t be a sore loser.”

“Shh,” she muttered, eyes focussed on the programme already.

::

“I’m never going to forgive you for that, just so you know.”

“I’m really sorry, Rose. I didn’t realise you’d get this upset.” He handed her another tissue.

“You said they’d get together! That they would be happy!” She thumped her hand lightly on his chest at the injustice of it all.

“To be fair, I never said there was a happy ending.”

They’d marathoned the final series of their favourite show for the entire day, and now Rose was snuggled up next to the Doctor, hiccuping and crying into his shirt after watching her favourite character’s unfortunate demise. He let go of her briefly to tuck the blanket around them more securely, and then his arms returned to their previous position draped across her back, holding her to him. 

“It’s not fair. Why did they do that? Why was that necessary?”

“I dunno.”

“I’ll tell you why they did it,” she huffed. “Cos they think it’d get them extra ratings!”

“Actually I think it was because the actor wanted to leave the show and the production company thought it would be renewed without them but in actual fact -”

“No, that’s not it; they deliberately mess with the emotions of their audience and they don’t even care.”

“Well.” He didn’t really know what to reply to that.

“They were perfect together. I wish they could’ve like, gone off together, ran away into the sunset and got away from that corrupt organisation and - ”

“And then you’d be disappointed with it not being dramatic enough.”

“I would not!” she retorted. “I’d be glad that they were happy.”

He rubbed a slow circle on her back. “Are you gonna be okay?”

She sniffed. “Knew we should’ve stuck to the chatshow.”

“Sorry, Rose.” He nuzzled the top of her head, giving her hair a quick kiss. “Get up a sec, I’ll go and make us a cuppa. That’ll cheer you up.”

She shifted away from him so that he could move, and flung her arm across her face dramatically in despair. “Nothing will cheer me up from this. Not even tea.”

“What about chocolate biscuits?” he asked, as he gently pried her arm from her face to meet her eyes.

She wrinkled her nose. “Maybe.”

“What about tea and chocolate biscuits and those sweets from Candos that you like?”

Rose fiddled with the blanket nonchalantly. “I s’pose we could try and see.”

He grinned at her, leant in to peck her forehead, then stood up. He winced, clutching his back.

“Still bad?” Rose asked in concern.

“Just a bit achey. I’ll be fine.”

“I can get the tea - “

“Rose, you are having a telly-invoked emotional crisis right now. I can get the tea,” he assured her. “I need to have a stretch anyway. Sitting down all day might not have been the best idea after all.”

“You got quite a lot of cuddling out of it, though,” she managed to tease, smiling up at him even as tears still lingered in her eyes. “For a man who ate a whole pack of disgusting crackers.”

“Yes, well, told you you couldn’t resist,” he snorted, and left the room before she could protest.

::

"Rose, does the offer of a back rub still stand, by any chance?" he asked, when he returned with the tea and food.

She looked up from the magazine she was flipping through to distract herself, and chuckled. “Really?”

"Yep." He placed the tray down on the coffee table with a pained expression on his face.

"You’re such an old man."

"Oi!"

"Come here." She patted the space in front of her as she turned on the sofa.

“Of course, afterwards I will return the favour seeing as you’re the one experiencing such sorrow at the moment.”

“Why aren’t you upset, by the way?” she asked, as she began to knead his shoulders.

“Seen it before, so I suppose it lessened the emotional impact. Less of a shock.” He sniffed. “Plus, you know. I’m putting on a show of strength to support you.”

“Right,” Rose rolled her eyes. “Not ‘cos you can’t possibly bear appearing vulnerable in front of me, then?”

He stiffened, just as she was starting to loosen the knots in his back. “What?”

“Never mind.” They were quiet for a few moments, then Rose heaved a sigh. “Look, this isn’t working as well as it should.”

“What isn’t?” he whispered.

“This.” She poked his back. “You need to lie down so I can get at you properly.”

He turned around and gestured to their tea. “Why don’t we have this first, then hopefully the TARDIS will make you your very own masseuse’s room.” He was only half-joking.

“Ooh, I could start up a business,” she laughed, taking a sip of her tea and handing his mug to him.

“Do I get mate’s rates?”

“You get it for free, actually. Seeing as I’m using your premises and all.”

“Oh, I like the sound of this.”

“Plus you don’t have any money anyway, so I’m taking pity on you.”

“I do have money!”

“Well you never seem to have any when we go out for dinner.”

“That’s because it’s all safely tucked away in a bank. Apart from the odd coin from various cultures that I have in my coat pockets.”

“What good is it doing sitting in a bank?” she retorted.

“For a rainy day!”

“A rainy day,” she said blankly.

“What if I get stranded, hm? Or if the TARDIS isn’t well? Need a back-up.”

“But where is this bank? No good having your money in an account on Zog if you get stuck on the moon, is there?”

He rolled his eyes at her. “It’s in London, actually, because I worked there for a while so that’s where my salary went.”

“What?”

He waved his hand vaguely. “Got exiled there once by the Time Lords. Worked for UNIT for a bit. Long story.”

“But - ”

The Doctor rushed on, “Plus the TARDIS’ default emergency protocols are centred around taking me back to Earth if there’s a problem, specifically the Powell Estate these days.”

A funny smile came upon Rose’s face.

He narrowed his eyes at her. “What?”

“Nothing.”

She carried on staring at him with that peculiar little grin so he repeated himself. _“What?”_

“It’s just…” She shrugged a shoulder. “I dunno. I know it’s just ‘cos it’s practical, but, it’s like the estate is your second home or something.”

“Well.” He scratched the back of his neck. “It’s…certainly a base. Somewhere terrestrial to go back to if - yeah.”

She poked his knee with the index finger of her free hand. She felt like ducking her head shyly, but raised her chin and bravely met his gaze as she replied, “I like that.”

He caught her finger and laced their hands together. “Good.” He stroked his thumb across hers a few times, then cleared his throat and let go. “Anyway, how are you feeling?”

“Ugh, don’t remind me. I was just starting to put it out of my thoughts! God, poor Rio. Poor Sask.”

“If you’re gonna cry again, let’s put the tea down first - ”

Rose laughed. “It’s okay, I’m not gonna cry again. I’ll be fine.” She paused. “Though I’m sure you wouldn’t mind giving me a comforting cuddle again.”

“Course I don’t mind. Do you want one?”

For all his secrets, he could be utterly candid without meaning to be sometimes, and Rose adored that, even when she was trying to tease him.

“Maybe later,” she said, watching his face carefully and detecting a bit of disappointment. Her smile, when it came upon her face seconds later, was bright and reassuring. “First we need to finish these off so that I can sort your back out.”

::

The first door they opened when they walked out into the corridor was, indeed, a new room that the TARDIS had created especially for the current situation.

“Wow,” Rose laughed in delight, taking in the small but poshly decorated room. There was an ornate wooden table along one wall, painted white, upon which sat a variety of massage oils and a stack of crisp white towels. Next to this stood a proper massage table, complete with a cut-out space for the face to rest whilst laying on one’s front.

“Blimey,” was the Doctor’s reaction, followed by a gulp. His ship was actually taking this very seriously; even the lights were dimmed slightly for atmospheric effect. He glanced warily at the oils on the side, wondering whether Rose was actually going to use them.

“All right then,” Rose said briskly, turning to him with a grin.

“You sure you’re still up for doing this?” he asked.

“Definitely. I’ll nip outside while you strip off and lie down on the bed, and - ” She broke off as she watched him start to unbutton his shirt. She’d anticipated some floundering, at least a tad bit of blushing, especially what with the way he’d looked all nervous upon seeing the room. She’d reckoned that asking him to take off his clothes was a reliable way to get the Doctor flustered, and had been prepared to reassure him that it was fine if he just wanted to take one layer off so that he didn’t feel uncomfortable. But here he was, taking off his shirt, pulling off his t-shirt, right in front of her, and there was his bare chest, and that was him coughing pointedly and she was staring.

“Everything all right?” he smiled easily.

Rose’s eyes travelled back up to his face. “Um, yeah. Course.” She straightened her t-shirt in an act of composure and gestured to the massage table. There was no way she was gonna ask him to take off his trousers; he might just call her bluff and do it.

“Right then,” he said, clenching his fists briefly as though to steel himself, and Rose let out a breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding.

He carefully arranged his body on the table, leaning his forehead on the pillowed rest and staring at the floor through the hole.

“Any preference?” she asked.

He heard the clink of a few bottles. “Hmm?”

“Lavender all right?”

“Oh. Yeah, whatever you want. I don’t mind.”

Rose draped a towel over his pinstriped bum, slightly sad to do so given that she had a good view of him in those tight trousers beforehand. “Just so I don’t get the oils on your trousers,” she explained.

“Were you planning on touching my bum?” he asked.

“No,” she spluttered out a laugh. “But the oils might drip down your back or off my hands and - ” She heard him chuckling. “Oh, you’re winding me up.” He chuckled some more and she shook her head fondly as she emptied some of the oil onto her hand. “Dunno why you’re laughing,” she said, “Seeing as you’re the one who put sun cream on my bum when we were at the beach three weeks ago.”

His chuckling abruptly stopped, and she smirked at her success. Touching her hands to his bare back finally, she bit her lip and started to knead away at the tense knots, recalling techniques that Keisha’s aunt had taught her.

“That was an accident.”

She was so distracted by the dimples in his lower back that it took her a moment to realise he’d spoken. “Hmm?”

“The sun cream fiasco. You know that was an accident. Right?”

“Of course.” Accident, her arse. Literally.

“Your bikini really was very tiny, it - er. Exposed a bit of…”

“Cheek?” she giggled.

“Mmm,” he squeaked.

“So you thought you’d apply some sun cream to it so that it didn’t get burnt?”

“No! No, no. I was helping you with your back, remember? And because you were lying down, when the bottle squirted it out too quickly it landed on your bum and…”

She imagined his face was as red as hers right now, and was glad they couldn’t see each other’s expressions. “And so you rubbed it in.”

“You told me to,” he pointed out.

“Well I couldn’t just lie there in full view of the tourists with a white splodge on my bum cheek could I?” she retorted.

“You could’ve rubbed it in yourself. Not like you couldn’t reach.”

“Well, I panicked.”

“Well, so did I.”

“Right then.”

“Yeah.”

They were silent for a few moments, only the sound of Rose’s hands slipping and sliding and pressing all along his back filling the room. Then Rose tentatively murmured, “I know this is gonna sound weird, but I quite like doing this.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Does it feel good?”

“God, yes,” he replied quickly. “I didn’t want to say anything in case it came out wrong, especially given my predilection for saying the wrong thing today - well, every day - but this is heavenly, Rose. You’re really very good at this.”

“You’re not just saying that?”

“Nope. It’s perfect.”

“You were very tense, you know. Still are, actually, all these knots and stuff. Have you been sleeping much lately?”

“Not really,” he said quietly. “Not well, anyway.”

“Tonight I think you should get some rest.”

“I should, yes. I think I’ll be able to, actually - this is making me drowsy.”

“Can I press a bit harder?”

“Yeah.”

“Tell me if it hurts, yeah?”

“Mmhmm.”

She exerted a bit more pressure as she kneaded a spot near the base of his spine. “That okay?” He groaned and she paused. “Doctor?”

“It’s fine, keep doing that. That was good.”

“Sure?”

“One hundred percent.”

Rose laughed. “Okay, then.” She repeated the movement all the way along his back for the next ten minutes, and the amount she enjoyed his moaning responses to her motions was really quite inappropriate. “Can I do your arms, now?” she asked, trailing her fingers over the curve of his shoulder.

“Be my guest!” She chuckled and he hurriedly added, “I know that sounded very eager. I’m aware of that. But you’re just so good at this - ”

“It’s fine, Doctor,” she assured him, applying some more oil to her hands as she started on his arms. “I want to do this for you.”

By the time she’d finished with his arms and hands, the Doctor’s eyes were closed. He wasn’t asleep, but he felt more relaxed than he could remember feeling in - well, it must have been a long time because he couldn’t remember feeling this relaxed before. He slowly lifted his head from the gap in the table and turned it so that he could smile at Rose. Opening his eyes, he watched her as she cleaned up her hands with a towel.

“You’re amazing,” he breathed out quietly. “Thank you, Rose.”

She glanced over to him, a slight blush tinting her cheeks. “I’m not a professional or anything,” she smiled, tongue touching the corner of her mouth.

“You might as well be, as far as I’m concerned.” He started to push himself up but she hurried over to help him, telling him to go slow so that he wouldn’t feel dizzy.

Handing him his shirts, which he then simply held in his lap, she asked primly, “Would you like to make another appointment, Sir?”

“Oh, definitely. Pencil me in as a regular once a week.”

They shared a laugh and then just looked at one another for a few moments.

“I can, you know. If you want,” she said then, suddenly serious.

He gave a tiny nod. “Please. Now and then, at least.”

“It’s good to see you all relaxed. You look years younger.”

The Doctor chuckled. “All thanks to you and your hands.”

“I didn’t hurt you at all though, right?”

“You were perfect.” He stood up from the table and felt for her hand, not breaking her gaze. Squeezing her fingers, he said again, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I was planning on returning the favour in thanks, and I will do, tomorrow perhaps. But right now I feel like I could sleep for hours.”

“It’s fine, you don’t have to. You go sleep,” she smiled, giving his hand a returning squeeze.

He looked at her carefully. “But I want to, if you want me to. Tomorrow.”

“I mean, it might be nice. My back’s okay though - ”

“Rose,” he said softly, stroking his thumb against hers, like he did earlier.

“Okay,” she exhaled roughly. “Yes. Thanks.” Her gaze dropped to his chest, which was still bare, his shirts held in his free hand. “For now, you go get some rest. We’ve had a tough week.”

“You gonna be all right, though?”

She glanced back up at his face. “What do you mean?”

“After the tragic death you witnessed on that t.v. show earlier.”

“Oh. Yeah, I’m fine,” she smiled. “I’m gonna go and read for a bit in bed before sleep.”

“Okay. Night, then.”

“Night.”

Neither of them made to move, or withdrew their hands from one another’s.

The Doctor cleared his throat. “I’ll…” He tilted his head towards the doorway.

“Yeah.”

“We’ll have breakfast somewhere nice in the morning.”

“Sounds good.”

“Right.” He nodded. “Goodnight, Rose.”

He finally let go of her hand, sent her one last smile, and left the room. Rose breathed out unsteadily and placed her hand on the table for a few moments, before getting herself together and heading to her bedroom.


	2. Chapter 2

When the Doctor came to wake her the next morning, he found her bed already empty. This was very unusual, because she was prone to sleeping through almost anything at this time of the morning, so he wondered what had woken her up. He smiled fondly at the unmade bed and messy floor, then turned his head towards her ensuite when he heard her start to sing. His smile quickly turned into a big grin and he walked slowly over to her bathroom, picking up a few bits and bobs on the way and draping them over her chair; bits and bobs that he abruptly realised were her pjs and knickers. Piecing this together with the sudden splash of water, he also realised that she was probably in the bath. He had, however, already knocked on the bathroom door, so he stilled and waited for her response.

“Doctor, that you?”

“Who else would it be?” he couldn’t help but laugh.

“Oh, yeah. You okay?”

“Yes. Just came to wake you. I’ve landed us near this lovely little café on a warm, sunny island in the southern peninsula of the planet Luci.”

“Sounds lovely. I won’t be long, just having a bath.”

“Which means you’ll be forever.”

“Oi, you should try this sometime, you know. Bubble baths are good for the soul.”

“Really.”

“Truly,” she vowed.

He leant against the door and put his hands in pockets, chuckling.

“Did you have a good sleep last night?”

“Marvellous. You did wonders with me.”

“I rang Keisha after you went to bed to ask her to ask her Aunt if she can teach me how to do head massages. Think that might help you, too.”

“That’s very kind. What did Keisha say?”

“She said she’d ask and get back to me.”

“Lovely.” He paused for a few moments. “Don’t feel obligated to repeat last night though. I know we said…I just don’t want you feeling like, I dunno, I’m using you for your good back rubs or something.”

He heard Rose laugh, and he also heard the sound of water sloshing around, and he wondered if she was getting out.

“What did I say yesterday? I loved it. Let me practice on you again? If ever you get fed up with it, I’ll stop, but - ”

“I don’t think I’ll ever get fed up with it, Rose. You’re very talented.”

“Shut up,” she laughed.

“You are. Are you nearly done? Sounded like you just got out of the bath.”

“Nearly, but now I'm shaving my legs.”

“Oh.”

“Tell me more about this planet we’re on?”

The Doctor spent a few minutes telling her random facts about where they were, mostly to do with the café’s extensive breakfast menu. He’d just finished a ramble about their famous extra-fruity, extra-frothy smoothie-shakes when Rose said, “Doctor, might wanna lean away from the door ‘cos I’m about to open it.”

He moved aside and Rose came out of the bathroom, splendidly dressed in a nice white fluffy towel. “Have to say, Rose, bikini-wear is allowed in the café, it being next to a beach and all that, but just a towel? Not so much.”

She stared at him. “I’m going to put clothes on.”

“Oh, I see.”

Rose rolled her eyes, trying not to laugh, and opened her chest of drawers. “A beach, you said?”

“Mmhmm.”

She grabbed her trusted red bikini and her very short denim shorts, and chucked them on the bed. The Doctor glanced at the items and gulped, just a little. He watched as Rose held the towel around herself as she reached up to the top shelf in her wardrobe, absolutely not looking at the backs of her thighs. If the shelf had been just two inches higher, the Doctor was very certain the curve of her bum would be quite visible. Not that he was looking. Not that he hadn’t seen it before. He thought about that last beach trip. He wondered if Rose had any of that sun cream left, the one with the dodgy lid that squirted it everywhere. Probably wouldn’t be wise to instigate a repeat of what happened last time though. It was a genuine accident before; any repetition would be very transparently engineered.

“Aha!” Rose said, when she found what she was looking for, a scrap of red, sheer fabric. Ah. Her sarong.

She stopped still on the way back towards her bed. “You gonna stand there all day?”

“Hmm?”

Rose bit her lip, trying to hide her mischievous grin but failing, and then he was rather aware that she was dropping her towel. He whirled around to face away from her, his hearts hammering. “Rose!”

“Well, I need to get dressed, and you were just standing there, so I figured you wanted to watch.”

He could sense her smirk from the other side of the room, without even looking in her direction. “I was lost in thought,” he defended mildly.

“Yeah, I bet,” she chuckled.

He listened to the sound of clothes being pulled on, and when Rose called out that she was done, he turned around. She’d tied the sarong around her chest so that it just about covered her bikini top, and hung down around her shorts. She slipped on her flip-flops, grabbed her beach bag, and smiled at him. “Ready?”

“Yeah,” he nodded absently. They walked out of the room together, but not before the Doctor nabbed her sunglasses from her dressing table and stuck them on her head. She always forgot them and complained about the sun getting in her eyes. 

::

After sharing a plate of the island’s renowned melon-like fruit and several smoothie-shakes in various flavours, the Doctor and Rose headed out to the beach that lay adjacent to the café. Dropping her sarong and denim shorts by a sun lounger, Rose sprinted straight into the sea, squealing in delight at how perfect the temperature of the water was. Sighing happily and turning her face to the sun, relishing the warmth, she paddled a little deeper, the water rising to her knees.

The Doctor was busy taking off his converses, socks and jacket, leaving them with Rose’s things, and rolling up his trouser legs, so by the time he joined her by the water, she was in up to her neck. He put his hands in his pockets and watched her swim, a soft smile on his face.

“You’re really missing out, you know,” Rose called over to him, where he remained only a few inches into the water.

“Nah, I’m fine.”

“This water is gorgeous.”

“You’re - ” He almost replied with something very dangerous, but caught himself just in time. Tugging on his ear, he continued, “You’re right, it is. But I’m content to paddle.”

“Suit yourself,” she grinned. Minutes went by and Rose wondered how he wasn’t bored just standing there watching her enjoy herself in the waves. She was so distracted by her ponderings on how to get him to join her that it took a moment for her to realise that the sharp stinging sensation along the outside of her left calf was not right. She gave a sudden yelp and the Doctor surged forwards to her, meeting her halfway as she managed to haul herself through the water to waist depth.

“Ow ow ow ow ow,” was her constant chant, and the Doctor’s panicked look was what served her to expound further. “I feel like I’ve been stung by a jellyfish or something!”

The Doctor helped her onto the sand and crouched down to look at her leg, eyeing the nasty mark. “Looks like a rolofish sting. I’m so sorry, Rose. I didn’t realise they swam so close to the shore here.”

Rose winced as the pain seemed to intensify. “It’s not your fault. But it’s sort of getting worse. Do you have anything that can sort it out? You’re not gonna have to wee on me, are you?”

He stood up straight and looked alarmed. “Why would I do that?” he asked her, bewildered.

“Like, the ammonia or something is supposed to kill the pain? I dunno, I saw it on _Friends._ ”

“Oh! Right. No, no urine needed here. I’ll just carry you back to the TARDIS and we’ll sort it out with some cream in the medbay, no problem.”

“It’s all right, I’m too heavy - I’ll walk back.” She took a few steps and stumbled, grabbing the Doctor’s arm to keep her upright. Breathing shallowly, she mumbled, “Oh god, it really hurts.” Rose rarely felt faint, but in that moment she thought she was going to pass out from the pain, and hoped the Doctor would have the foresight to catch her if that happened so that she wouldn’t injure herself further.

“Hop on,” he told her, turning around and presenting his back.

“You’re gonna give me a piggyback?” she managed to laugh, before wincing again as the pain shot up her leg, feeling light-headed from the sheer agony.

“Yep, come on,” he urged.

Rose shrugged and placed her hands on his shoulders, before using what felt like the last of her energy to jump up, wrapping her legs partially around him and her arms around his neck. He grabbed her underneath her thighs to hold her in position, and took off at a fast-paced walk towards the TARDIS.

“We’ll come back for our things in a bit,” he told her, gesturing with his head towards their stuff by the loungers.

Rose just mumbled something incoherent in response, pressing her face into the curve of his neck and trying not to cry out from the pain.

Once inside the TARDIS, she let out a shuddering breath, glad to be almost at the medbay. If she hadn’t been hurting, she would’ve noticed that goosebumps had subsequently found their way across the skin of the Doctor’s neck.

He carried her to the medbay and plonked her down on the bed, pulling her legs up so that he could have another look at the sting. “It’s going to hurt a lot when I put the cream on, I won’t lie,” he said, and she rolled her eyes. “But within seconds you’ll start to feel better, I promise. Now just hold on a sec whilst I find it…” He turned from her to look through all the cupboards, before finally finding the ointment her injury required. “Here we go.” He squeezed out some of the cream into the palm of his hand, eyeing Rose carefully. She was breathing far too quickly.

She saw him hesitating and shook her head. “Just do it, please, I want this to go away.”

He offered her his free hand, which she gripped firmly, her short nails digging into him as he applied the cream with his other hand.

“Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck,” she cursed, her head slamming back to the mattress. And then, all of a sudden, the pain was gone, and she sighed in relief, releasing his hand. “Oh god. That’s amazing.”

He smiled at her sadly, subtly flexing his hand, which had cramped up a bit under her tight hold. “I’m just so sorry you had to go through that in the first place.”

“Doctor, it wasn’t your fault I got stung by a robofish.”

“Rolo.”

“Right, that,” she laughed. She sat up and leant over to look at her leg. “Still looks sore, but I can’t feel a thing.”

“I’m going to wrap it in a bandage for now, but it should clear up completely within an hour. You won’t be left with any marks or scars or anything like that.”

“Thanks, Doctor.”

He shrugged a shoulder. “Least I could do.”

Once he’d bandaged her calf, he trailed his fingers slowly across it and met her eyes with his. “All right?”

“Lovely,” she replied, with a small smile.

His fingers carried on travelling right up to her knee, quite by accident, before curling underneath it, his thumb resting on her kneecap. When his thumb started stroking, Rose’s breath hitched, but they just kept looking at each other as though pretending nothing was happening.

“So, um,” she started, just as he had begun to say her name. She laughed and said, “You go first.”

“Ah. Thanks. Er - what I was going to say was, shall we go back to the beach, or…”

“Or?”

His hearts raced at the inflection she put into that tiny word. Coughing awkwardly and withdrawing his hand from her knee, he suggested, “Or I could fulfil my promise and return the back massage you so graciously gave me.”

“Ohh,” she whispered, biting her lip. “You don’t have to.”

He slid his hands into his pockets and held her gaze. “But can I?”

She smiled slowly. “Yeah.”

“Shall we go and see if the TARDIS has left that convenient room there?”

“Let’s,” she agreed, standing up and hooking her arm through his.

::

“So, shall I just…”

“On the bed,” he told her, nodding towards the massage table.

Rose swallowed hard, but told herself to get a grip, climbing up and laying on her front.

The Doctor placed a towel over her bum in the same way she had done for him the previous day, barely letting himself glance at her body. “Because of the -” he started.

“- oil,” she finished shakily. “Yeah.”

“On that note,” he continued, ghosting his fingers across the back of her bikini top. “Shall I…?”

“Oh, yeah, you can undo that,”she said quickly.

The Doctor untied her top, and whilst he busied himself with choosing some massage oil, Rose rearranged herself subtly on the table, making sure there was nothing on show. It wasn’t that she minded giving him a show, as such, more that if it came to it she wanted him to get a proper look, not just a slightly less appealing glimpse of side-boob.

The moment she felt the Doctor’s slippery hands slide along her back, Rose knew she was done for. There was no way she was gonna get out of this situation without him knowing just what his touch did to her. The involuntary moan that crept out of her mouth almost immediately was practically a declaration in itself, and as his fingers dug into her skin and eased out the knots in her muscles, an altogether unrelaxing thing was happening elsewhere. Biting her lip, Rose frantically tried to pretend that this was a generic masseuse with their hands on her, not the Doctor. She tried to pretend that this was all just clinical and normal and fine and not at all erotic, tried to ignore the sweeping sensation in her belly and the way she’d started to tingle and throb in places she hadn’t tingled and throbbed due to someone else’s hands for over a year.

She knew she had to get a hold of herself, because all that pretending and ignoring was most certainly not succeeding, and then he touched a specific spot on her lower back and she could feel herself getting wet and oh god, there was no way the Doctor, with his self-professed superior senses, was gonna miss that if she got any more aroused than she currently was.

Realising that he would notice her next move but unable to stop herself, she shifted a little on the table, squeezing her legs together as subtly as possible. The Doctor’s fingers were venturing so very close to the slope of her bum that when she moved, they dipped slightly underneath the towel, grazing the top of her bikini bottoms. He quickly trailed his hands up to the safer territory of her back, and she bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself sighing in disappointment.

Rose thought it was quite unfair that yesterday, when she’d been doing this for him, he hadn’t seemed to suffer from this kind of trouble. Either she had a ridiculously large erogenous zone that constituted her entire back, or the Doctor was able to focus inward or something whilst she was touching him, because she fancied the pants off him and knew the attraction was requited. She could feel it, could sense how close they were to taking things further, could tell whenever he wanted to kiss her. She knew and he knew and that resulted in a never-ending loop of both of them knowing but being too scared to be the one to make the first move. So how she could feel like this with him massaging her, whilst he nearly fell _asleep_ during her ministrations yesterday, well, that was just insulting -

And, great, now he was massaging her neck and causing goosebumps to pop up over her entire body, that was just brilliant and _so_ bloody typical. To get through the embarrassment of knowing that he knew just how much he was affecting her, she decided to think of various creative ways to get him to admit he’d had at _least_ a semi yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Doctor fought back a smug grin. He was already feeling grateful that he had the opportunity to touch so much of her bare skin, but hearing her escalated breathing and feeling her racing pulse beneath his fingers on her neck, well, that was just perfect. He’d suspected, of course, that she would enjoy this beyond the simple platonic nature of a massage, but the confirmation was gratifying. They had been teasing each other for so long that he’d begun to convince himself that it was just her natural way, that it didn’t mean anything when she lingered in his arms a moment too long, or when she came to check on him after hearing him call out in the night. But as his hands swept down to her legs, carefully avoiding her bandaged calf, a shudder went through her, he could feel it, and he couldn’t resist lightening his pressure to a caress along the back of her thigh, just to see her reaction.

Rose clutched at the sides of the table and pressed her lips together firmly. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction by saying anything, or by involuntarily moaning again. He said her name, though, and she didn’t quite know what he was asking, but it sounded like a question.

“Rose?” he repeated, as he went to lift the towel off her bum.

“Mmhmm,” she replied, hoping he’d take that as an affirmative to whatever he was going to do next; and she had some ideas about what she’d hope he’d do next, but would he really instigate that right now, without them talking about it, without him assuring that both of them knew just what was going to happen and what it meant?

His thumb made the briefest brush along the curve where her bum met her thigh, and she didn’t care about talking anymore, and - and then his touch disappeared altogether. Rose’s breath hitched and she waited, patiently, for his hands to return to her, for his fingers to slide beneath the material of her bikini bottoms and seek out the place she so wanted him to -

“All done,” he was saying, and she blinked. Oh.

“Hmm?”

“I’ll turn around whilst you, er, adjust your top,” he said next, and Rose had to fight back a scowl.

The Doctor wiped his hands on a towel and then faced the opposite wall, hoping she wouldn’t say anything, wouldn’t ask him why he’d stopped, wouldn’t ask him to continue; but at the same time hoping she wasn’t fooled in the slightest, that she’d stand up and wrap her arms around his waist, push her bare breasts into the cotton of his shirt and slip a hand downwards to feel the exact reason he’d needed to stop with all the touching in the first place and oh, blimey, he’d have to stop thinking about that before he turned around to face her.

Shaking her head to clear away her dazed thoughts, she sat up slowly. Not understanding what felt to her like an abrupt end to her enjoyment, Rose stared at his bum in annoyance as she tied her bikini top back together. Taking the opportunity of him not looking at her, she quickly glanced down at herself to ensure she wouldn’t be facing the mortifying experience of sitting in front of him with a too-obviously damp pair of bikini bottoms. She winced, and crossed her legs just in case.

“All right?” he asked her.

“Yep. You can turn around, I’m sorted.”

“So!” he said brightly, turning to look at her. “How was that?”

She smiled up at him bravely. “Thank you. It was…lovely.”

“You’re welcome.”

He held out a hand for her and she placed her palm against his, letting him help her stand up. And then they were standing very close to one another, barely an inch between their chests, and she watched the Doctor swallow. The bob of his Adam’s apple was so very tempting, and she felt the ridiculous notion that her teeth were itching. But she stayed still, and so did he, and they just looked at one another for the longest moment.

Gently, eventually, the Doctor cleared his throat, and prayed that his voice didn’t squeak when he asked, “Back to the beach?”

“What?”

He chuckled at her bewildered look. “Well, don’t you want to go back and catch some sun? Our stuff is still out there by the loungers.”

Rose frowned for a moment, but then her eyes lit up and she smiled mischievously. “Only if you join me.”

“Of course - ”

“No, I mean, you need to get out of this suit and into some trunks.”

The Doctor raised his eyebrows. “But - ”

“It just occurred to me that it’s not very fair that every time we’ve been to a beach, you’ve seen me in a bikini, but I’ve never seen you in trunks.”

“I don’t even know if I own any - ”

“Rubbish, bet the wardrobe has some. Come on,” she grinned, grabbing his hand and tugging him out of the room, towards the wardrobe room.

Ten minutes later, the Doctor was leaning against the frame of a hanging rail, watching Rose sift through a third box of swimwear, searching for something she deemed appropriate beach attire for him. Finally, she let out an, “Aha!” and jumped up. Her bikini top had been rendered slightly askew by her quest, and the Doctor scratched at the back of his neck, frantically trying to keep his eyes on her face. He wondered how to tactfully tell her that her left nipple was half exposed, because she hadn’t seemed to notice herself.

“These are perfect,” she said, chucking him a pair of blue swimming trunks. He caught them with ease and looked at them disdainfully.

“Do I have to?”

Her expression softened. “Oh. No, you don’t have to, not if you don’t want to. I just thought…”

He sniffed. Eyeing the trunks again, he sighed, “No, it’s all right, I will.”

She’d noticed her exposure and adjusted her bikini top during his perusal of the trunks, but looked back at him with bright eyes at his pronouncement.

“Really?” she asked hopefully.

It was worth it, he decided, merely for the fact that she seemed so excited by the prospect of getting him partially unclothed. He swiftly took off his tie and started undoing his shirt buttons.

Rose just stood there and watched as he started to undress right in front of her for the second time in two days, her eyes widening.

From the way the corner of his mouth was twitching, she knew he was fighting a grin at the fact she wasn’t leaving the room. His shirt fell to the floor and he lifted his t-shirt off in one quick movement. Rose’s eyes fell to his bare chest, then down to peruse the happy trail that disappeared beneath the waistband of his trousers. When the Doctor’s hands came into Rose’s vision, she realised with a start that he was about to unbutton his trousers right in front of her.

“And here I thought you were shy,” she teased, biting her lip and averting her eyes. She heard his low chuckle and then the sound of his trousers hitting the floor and she clenched her hands into fists.

“You’re someone who has seen me at my most vulnerable,” he said, his tone light-hearted but his words heavy with meaning, particularly given her contrary comment the previous day. “Facing my enemies; my weaknesses exploited; my nightmares…” He paused, and she looked back at him, meeting his warm gaze. “And last night you had your hands all over me,” he added cheekily. “I think I can handle getting naked in front of you.”

“Not _all_ over you,” she mumbled. He raised an eyebrow at her and her cheeks reddened. “I mean, it was just your back. And arms. That’s…that’s all.”

“Right.” He could tell she was struggling to resist the urge to look down, so he let a brief, tense silence descend whilst he waited to see her relent.

Seconds later, her gaze slipped for the briefest moment, and she exhaled a long breath - relieved that he’d already put his trunks on. Relieved, and a little disappointed.

“Right then,” she said briskly. “Shall we, er…” She gestured behind her.

“Beach,” he replied, nodding. “Yes.”


	3. Chapter 3

“Are you glad I’m joining in?” the Doctor asked her a little while later, when they were sunbathing on loungers on the beach.

Rose glanced over at him and grinned. “Yep. It’s good to see you so relaxed.” She turned her head away from him, looking out at the sea, and added, “You look happy.”

“I am happy,” he replied. He paused for a moment. “Are you happy?”

Rose laughed. “Very.”

“Good.”

She turned her head back to look at him. “Did you mean what you said earlier? About me seeing you at your most vulnerable?” she asked softly.

“Yes.” He shifted a little on the lounger, and closed his eyes.

She thought that was that, but he soon continued to speak, so she sat up and watched him candidly.

“That day, months and months ago...the Dalek. I never wanted you to see me like that. But you did, and you didn’t run. Even though I’d almost - “ He broke off, swallowing hard. “And then of course, later, Daleks again, and...and when I sleep, and dream, and you come rushing to check on me, and - you know, I don’t let people hold me, as a rule, but you have this huge capacity for comfort and I want - when you sit there and wake me up and make sure I know it’s just a nightmare and you smile…” He exhaled a long breath. “But you don’t patronise and you don’t make me feel embarrassed and - I dunno.” He opened his eyes and met her wide-eyed gaze. “What I’m trying to say is, I trust you completely.”

Rose blinked at him, her mouth hanging slightly open.

He cleared his throat. “Anyway, fancy a swim?”

It took her a few seconds to process his question, given his prior speech. “Um - nah, kind of wary of that sea now,” she said, gesturing to her bandaged calf.

“Ah. Of course. I almost forgot.”

She smiled at him, that smile where her tongue poked out just a little bit. He blew out a long breath.

“What about the TARDIS pool?” he offered. “Given that you’re dressed for it, and everything.”

“As are you,” she pointed out.

“Yep.”

“Yeah, all right then. It’s getting way too hot out here, anyway.”

They gathered up their things and moved to the pool inside the TARDIS, diving in instantly and delighted with the cool water on their heated skin. After aimlessly swimming around and chatting for a bit, the Doctor challenged Rose to a race.

She thought it was a bit unfair that life had given him a headstart in this race by him having legs several inches longer than hers, so she decided to even things out a little bit. When she managed to catch up with him insofar as her shoulders being level with his waist, she reached out and wrapped her arms around him, dragging him under the water with her for a couple of seconds before letting go and swimming off ahead, leaving him spluttering and moaning about her being a cheat. Just before she made it to the end of the pool, however, he’d caught up with her again. Coming up behind her as she slowed to a stop, his arm shot out in front of her to touch the side of the pool before she did.

“I won,” he said, boxing her in by bringing his other arm up along her other side.

“Oi!” she complained, through a laugh. “I definitely beat you.”

He moved closer, his chest pressed against her back, and whispered in her ear, “But I got you.”

“We weren’t playing tag,” she pointed out, her voice quiet to match his. “We were racing.” As she spoke the words, she realised, with a sense of delight and mischief that made her smile a cheeky grin, that so were his hearts. She could feel them, against her back, and with his stamina she knew it wasn’t because of the exercise.

She ran her fingers along his forearm, and he shuddered.

“I still won.”

Rose shook her head. “No, I did. And I think I should get a prize for that.”

“Do you?” he chuckled.

"Yep." Her hand ventured backwards and then suddenly it was on his bum and squeezing, urging him closer.

He laughed at her bold move and deliberately brushed her ear with his lips as he asked, "Was that your prize?"

"You know it wasn't," she replied, tilting her head. He swept aside her wet hair, knowing she was giving his mouth access to her neck and jaw if he wanted.

The Doctor was quite aware that he needed to step away from her before things escalated, but he couldn’t really bring himself to. Instead, he compounded things further by pushing his hips forwards. She gasped and in seconds she was pressed against the side of the pool, the Doctor pressed all along her back, his knees bending to mould with the backs of hers.

He closed his eyes, knowing he couldn’t pass this off as playing any longer. Taking a deep breath, he murmured her name, and she managed to turn around between them, unable to stop her skin rubbing against his as she moved. She tilted her hips so that something else of hers could rub against something else of his and he groaned, grabbing her bum and keeping her there.

“Glad we’re on the same page,” she whispered, biting her lip, watching him breathing just as heavily as she knew she was.

They stared at one another for a moment with dark eyes, waiting, wondering. Rose’s leg brushed his, and the Doctor looked down. “You know, that bandage can come off now.”

Rose blinked at him. “Oh. Yeah…”

“Hop up onto the side for a sec.”

“What?”

He placed his hands on her waist and lifted her to sit on the edge of the pool. Rose gasped, but her surprised expression soon morphed into a mischievous smile. Whilst the Doctor’s hands moved to her calf to unwrap the bandage, hers swept through his hair.

“Thank you for taking care of me,” she murmured.

His fingers stilled on her leg. “You don’t have to thank me,” he replied, not meeting her eye. “Besides. You take care of me all the time.”

Rose moved her hands to the back of his neck, stroking softly, her forearms resting on his shoulders. “If you say so.”

“I do say so,” he whispered. He placed the discarded bandage on the floor next to Rose, then squeezed her calf to tell her he was done. “Feel any pain?”

“Nope,” she replied absently, preoccupied with watching his face when he looked up and realised their position.

The Doctor glanced back and forth from Rose’s face to her legs, which he was effectively standing between. Letting go of her calf, he made to step back, wanting to drag her down into the pool with him again and carry on where they left off, but Rose hooked her leg around his waist and pulled him closer.

His eyebrows drew together. “Rose?”

Biting her lip nervously, Rose shrugged a shoulder. “Just want to stay here for a minute.” She fiddled with the short hairs on the back of his neck. “That okay?”

“Yes,” he exhaled roughly, but when his hand rested on the knee of the leg Rose had wrapped around him, she thought he was going to urge it away.

Instead, he slid his hand all the way up to her thigh. She already had goosebumps due to her sitting mostly out of the pool, but she couldn’t deny that his touch made her shiver too. And what was really making her heart leap out of her chest was the fact that the Doctor still hadn’t broken her gaze.

And the fact that she knew he was hard in his trunks, of course.

Her hands fell to his shoulders, fingers digging into his skin. “The last few days,” she said quietly, trying not to break the moment, wanting to prolong it. “It’s been nice. Just...hanging out.” She swallowed hard, gathering her courage, and continued, “Touching each other.”

The Doctor’s hand tightened its grip on her thigh. “Yes, well, ahem…” His free hand was under the water, and he hoped she wouldn’t notice as he pressed the heel of his palm against his erection for a brief moment. To take away the temptation of doing it again, he lifted his hand out of the water, placing it on Rose’s other thigh.

Searching his darkening gaze, Rose ploughed on, “I bet you’ll be glad to get back out there, though, right? Save a couple of worlds.”

“I’m surprisingly content to stay right here, to be honest,” he murmured.

At the sound of him saying that, his voice low and carefully measured, Rose shifted slightly in her seat. “So we’ll stay in this evening, yeah?” she asked hopefully.

“Yeah.” His hands gripped Rose’s thighs more firmly and tugged her closer to the edge. Gazing up at her to meet her eye, admittedly with a pitstop at her breasts, where her nipples were visibly pebbled through her bikini top, the Doctor said, “Rose, the thing is…”

She leant forwards, trailing her fingers along his jaw. “What is it?”

“I don’t think we should be doing this,” he confessed.

Rose frowned and let go of him. “I thought you wanted…”

“I do,” he nodded. “And maybe tonight we can...I don’t know. I don’t know. But - ”

She folded her arms. “What, you just want a one night stand, is that it?”

He shook his head rapidly. “No, no, that’s not - ”

“Just a fling, something to take the edge off?” she continued, voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Rose - ” he huffed.

“I’m gonna take a shower,” she said quickly, getting to her feet.

“Rose, wait - ”

“It’s fine, I get it.”

Feeling flustered and annoyed with himself, the Doctor sighed, looking up at her with pleading eyes, “Right, look, that’s not what I meant.”

“Doctor, this,” she said, gesturing between them, “It’s more than that, and you know it. If you’re not ready, then fine, but just tell me that. Be honest with me. But I can’t let us do this tonight if you think it’s a one time thing, because all that tells me is you’re not in the right frame of mind to be making that decision.” She gave him a look that indicated to him that she thought he was thinking with something other than his brain. Then her expression softened a little. “I know you, and I know that if you’re not wanting this to be permanent then you’re definitely not ready for all my amazing moves.”

His lips twitched at that, and he fought back a chuckle because she was still sort of glaring at him, half in consternation and half in concern. “Rose, I…”

She waited, but he trailed off. “You have a little think, then. I’m gonna have my shower and I’ll see you in a bit. Don’t run off.”

“I’ll just, er - swim a few more laps...”

Rose hurried over to the communal shower area at the back of the pool room, ducking under the spray of water and closing her eyes, replaying the last few moments in her head.

“Stupid idiot,” she muttered to herself, mainly talking about the Doctor. “Way to ruin it.” Heaving a sigh, she stripped off her bikini and grabbed the shower gel nestled in a concave shelf in the coral wall, lathering up her body. She wished, in that moment, that she had retreated to her ensuite; given that the Doctor was in the next room, Rose was very conscious of the feel of her own hands smoothing across her skin, and she definitely didn’t want to be tempted to follow those sensations further.

Just five minutes later, once she’d washed and rinsed her hair, she was immensely grateful that she’d had the foresight not to touch herself in here, for she heard the Doctor’s footsteps growing closer and closer until he was walking right into the showers. Smirking to herself, she counted under her breath, “One, two, three - ”

“Oh!” he squeaked out, realising Rose was naked.

She looked at him casually over her shoulder. “All right?”

“Yes. It’s just. I assumed you’d still be wearing your - ” He gulped. “ - swimming costume.”

“Wanted to have a proper shower.”

“A naked shower,” he murmured.

“Yeah.” She started to turn her body around and he raised his eyes to the ceiling.

“You, er - I’ll just - ” he moved to leave, but halted at Rose’s next words.

“You’re always telling me to get over my 21st century human hangups. Stay if you want, I don’t care. Besides,” she added, stepping over to him. “You’ve seen me at my most vulnerable, too.” She shrugged, and took his hand. “This is nothing.”

The Doctor lowered his eyes to her face. “I shouldn’t…” he whispered, but stepped forwards when she tugged him towards the spray of the shower.

“Live a little,” Rose teased. Once he was under the water with her, she boldly slipped two fingers into the waistband of his trunks and said, “I mean, these’ll have to come off. So that fair’s fair.”

He gazed at her, nodding in absent agreement.

“You want me to take ‘em off?”

“If you want - no!” He shook his head. “No, I’ll - you just - you keep right up here.” He felt for her wrist and moved it closer to her body, her fingers slipping away from their position. “I’ll do that.”

Rose dutifully kept her eyes on his neck and shoulders whilst he bent slightly to tug off his trunks. Before she could catch herself, she started to say, “There are so many places I’d like to - ” She stopped short.

He straightened up, and she heard the thwack of his trunks hitting the floor as he threw them in the direction of her bikini. “You’d like to what?” he prompted.

Bite, and kiss, and suck. “Nothing,” she said, flushing pink. She turned around and looked at him over her shoulder, biting her lip. "Wash my back?"

The Doctor chuckled. "So cliché," he murmured, but nevertheless he grabbed a sponge and started trailing it across Rose's back.

"Sums us up, really," Rose commented, and the Doctor laughed again.

"I'm certain you've been in this shower long enough to wash your back already."

"It's good to be - " she broke off for a moment as he moved the sponge to the dip in her back above her bum. "- thorough," she finished, in a whisper.

“Oh, of course.”

“So, have I also been in this shower long enough for you to think about what I said?”

“Yes.” He dropped the sponge to the floor and danced his fingers up her spine, then back down again. Rose sighed and tilted her head back, silently urging the Doctor to move closer. He did, his hands finding her hips, his lips finally seeking out the curve where her neck met her shoulder. After planting a firm kiss there, he lifted his head and pressed his nose into the soft skin behind her ear, murmuring again, "I shouldn't."

"Come off it," she whispered back, shivering at the tickling feeling of his wet hair against her ear. "We both know what's happening here. What’s been happening. What’ll happen next. All you’ve got to do is decide when..."

He groaned softly, his hands moving around to her front, one splaying across her belly and drawing her back against him, the other travelling to her breast, cupping it gently. "Rose..."

Shifting slightly to hear him groan again, she placed her hands over his, applying pressure to both, encouraging him to hold her tighter.

"I really can't - "

"Why?" Her hand over the one on her stomach eased off, but his slipped down her wet skin, only catching himself as his little finger brushed against her curls.

“Lots of reasons," he choked out. "I have all these rules, you see.”

“Can’t I be an exception to the rule?” she grinned, only half-joking. He was silent for a moment and she turned in his arms, his hands moving to her waist with the movement.

"Doctor?" she prompted.

He trailed his fingers down her bicep and gripped her elbow lightly in his hand. “I’m sure I can figure out some sort of loophole.”

“I’d rather be an exception than a loophole,” Rose teased, wrinkling her nose.

The Doctor shrugged a shoulder and drew her even closer, closing his eyes in pleasure. “Semantics, really.”

Rose touched her hands to his chest, scratching lightly through the hair there, her eyes wandering down his happy trail to stare for a moment at what was, and had been in the pool earlier, trapped between them. This time, no material was in the way. Her blush was fierce in response, but that did not deter her from her perusal, especially when she felt the Doctor's hands land firmly on the curve of her bum. She glanced back up at his face to find him watching her, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smile.

"All right?" he asked quietly.

She let out a shaky breath. "Yeah. You?"

“Yeah.”

Standing on tiptoes, letting out a soft moan when the action brought the head of his cock in contact with her clit, Rose leant in to kiss him. He returned the pressure, his lips firm and pliant against hers, and then he was opening his mouth, and she was opening hers, and the kiss grew in intensity as their tongues came into play.

The Doctor backed Rose up against the coral wall, out from under the spray of the shower, covering her body with his in an effort to keep her warm. Well, and because it felt bloody good. His hand slipped down to grab her thigh, encouraging it up and over his hip. His cock slid through her folds, bumping her sensitive bundle of nerves again, and Rose tore her lips away from his, panting softly.

“Keep, keep doing that,” she whispered.

He moved back and then forwards again, then pressed his forehead into hers, cradling her head. “I’m sorry I made you run off just now.”

“It’s all right. I just want you to be sure, this time, okay?” She swallowed hard. “There’s been a lot of teasing and touching today and...we had a tough week, with the - “ she shuddered; tightened her leg around him, “ - black hole, and everything. If you don’t want to do this, or if you don’t want to rush then just say, but…”

“I want to,” he assured her, pressing a kiss to her cheek, then her jaw. He wrapped her in his arms and inhaled deeply. “I want you,” he said into the curve of her neck, sealing his promise with a kiss and a sharp suck. His nose and mouth glanced up her neck, relishing the smooth skin, seeking out her ear. He sucked on her earlobe, and a bolt of desire crashed through him when she scratched her nails through his hair in response.

As though compelled to by an invisible force, his left hand gravitated towards her breast, cupping and squeezing the mound, urged on by Rose’s sounds of pleasure to repeat the gesture.

“Does this feel good?” he whispered, sliding his palm across her taut nipple.

Rose groaned out her affirmative response, but ended it with a shiver.

The Doctor chuckled. “You’re cold, aren’t you?”

“A bit,” she admitted.

He lowered his mouth to her ear. “Come to bed with me?”

“Sure?” she asked, pulling on the strands of his hair to tilt his head back, needing to look him in the eye.

“Never surer,” he grinned.

Rose raised her eyebrows. “Permanent?”

“Earlier, when you thought I implied otherwise, that wasn’t…you’re right, I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t want to...pursue it further. I couldn’t just indulge in this tonight and not want you in the morning.”

“‘Specially once you’ve seen my moves,” she teased.

“Especially then,” he agreed. He unhooked her leg and brushed her arms up and down. “Come on, you’re gonna end up with hypothermia and then where will we be?” Taking her hand, he went to lead her out of the showers, but she tugged him back to a row of hooks.

“Let me grab a dressing gown, then,” she laughed. She grabbed one white fluffy one for herself off a hook, then threw a blue one at him.

“Ta,” he smiled, and put it on.

::

When they entered the Doctor’s bedroom, Rose reached out and caught his hand, squeezing lightly. He turned to look at her, pulling her closer with his free hand on the knotted tie of her dressing gown.

“Okay?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she smiled, biting her lip. “Just a bit nervous.”

He stroked her wrist with his thumb. “Me too,” he admitted. “Although we were off to a good start in the showers.”

Rose laughed. “Why is it that now we’re in a room with a bed I’ve got butterflies?”

“You know what I reckon?”

“What’s that?”

He untied her dressing gown. “I reckon it’s because we’re not naked anymore.”

“Ah,” she nodded, muffling a giggle. “That’ll be it.”

The Doctor pushed the dressing gown down her shoulders, and Rose let it fall to the floor.

“I feel better already,” she teased. She put her hands on her hips and nodded at him. “Your turn.”

Smiling at her authoritative stance, he took off the towelling material and then reached out for her, sliding his arms around her waist. Hers responded by encircling his neck, and he bent his head to kiss her.

It was tender, and sweet, and almost chaste, really - which just wouldn’t do. Rose sucked on his bottom lip to ramp up the intensity of the kiss, and then she was walking backwards and pulling him with her, towards his bed.

She broke the kiss to flop down on her back on the mattress, giggling at the expression on the Doctor’s face. Rubbing her thighs together briefly, she realised just how aroused she was, just how wet, and he seemed to realise it too. With a growling sound she never expected the Doctor to be capable of, he climbed onto the bed, hovering over her, staring into her eyes. Rose let her legs fall open, and he settled between them gratefully.

“I hope you’re ready, Doctor, because I’ve got lots of ideas,” she teased, trailing her hand down his torso until she reached his cock, gripping it loosely in her fist.

He chuckled, bucking his hips just a fraction, but enough that he brushed against her stomach. Rose looked down, and, using her thumb, she swiped at the pre-come he’d transferred to her abdomen, before stroking it along his shaft.

She had such a gratifying combination of both concentration and mischief on her face that the Doctor was prompted to ask, “Enjoying yourself?”

Her reply was a withering look and then three quick pumps to his cock. His mouth went slack.

“Are you?” she asked, raising her eyebrows, her eyes dancing.

“Mm,” he said tightly, and then, burying his face in her neck, a less composed, “Don’t stop.”

Rose continued her exploration, experimenting with pressure and pace, until the Doctor’s hand came down and wrapped around her wrist. She thought for a moment that he was going to help her, going to show her what he liked and how quickly to go to get him off, and she briefly touched herself with her free hand at the very idea. But he didn’t; just eased her grip and moved her hand away. She couldn’t be disappointed for long, however, as he grabbed her other hand too, pinning them both either side of her head on the pillows whilst he sucked at her neck and collarbone. She shivered in pleasure, hoping this meant that he’d been too close with her hand on him, that he couldn’t wait anymore, that he’d soon be inside her.

Lowering his body more fully against her, the Doctor aligned his cock in prime position for it to slide through her folds, gathering moisture. He whispered her name, trailing his lips up to hers, kissing her deeply.

“Please,” she murmured into his mouth, wrapping her legs around him. She lifted her hips and groaned. “Oh god, please just…”

He reached down with one hand, seeking her entrance, testing, assuring. One finger and then, seconds later, another, sliding inside and coaxing a moan of his name from her. He nudged his nose against hers playfully. “All right?”

“Doctor, just…” He was still holding her right hand up against the pillow, so she grabbed his shoulder with her left and squeezed, meeting his eyes fiercely. “Now,” she told him.

He smirked at her and curled his fingers slightly. “This?”

“No,” she half laughed, huffing impatiently. Her hand moved from his shoulder down to his forearm, tugging at it. He withdrew his fingers and gripped her hip.

“Oh?” he feigned innocence.

“I’m not gonna start begging again,” she told him, taking his cock in her hand and positioning him at her entrance. “Not yet, anyway.”

He laughed happily and kissed the corner of her mouth. “No begging required, Rose, I assure you,” he replied, as he slowly sank into her warmth.

Watching Rose’s face whilst he moved inside her was, the Doctor thought, his best idea all day; and today had been full of good ideas. Her mouth fell open and she let out this quiet, breathy sound of pleasure, her eyelashes fluttering unconsciously as she blinked in rapid succession. It seemed like she was trying to keep her gaze connected with his, but her attempt failed within seconds when she tilted her head backwards, her eyes squeezing shut.

He was mesmerised by this display, and let go of her right hand to place both of his on her hips, tilting her, stroking deeper. She clutched at the pillow and then at his shoulders, his biceps, his back; her short nails digging into his skin. He was astonished, quite frankly, at how responsive she was already; not because of any preconceived ideas about her sensuality, but purely because he hadn’t expected to be so good at giving her pleasure. It _had_ been centuries, after all.

Her legs tightened their grip around his waist, her heels pushing into the slope of his bum and encouraging him to move faster. He quickened the pace of his thrusts, as she wished, but only slightly. Although he wasn’t sure how long he would be able to keep himself from climaxing, he wanted to draw out his experience for as long as possible.

Leaning down, he brushed his lips over her ear and murmured, “Rose?”

“Y-yeah?”

“Tell me what you want.”

Her eyes widened, her spine tingling with excitement. No one had ever really asked her to do that before. “I want…”

“Yes?”

“More - faster.”

He moved one of his hands to the headboard for stability, increasing his pace fractionally. “What else?”

She swallowed, delighted that he wanted to talk like this. “Touch me.”

“Here?” he asked innocently, cupping her breast, his thumb swiping across her nipple.

She arched her hips into his. “Nooo,” she breathed out a laugh.

“All right, you do that,” he suggested, taking one of her hands from his shoulders and replacing his on her breast. “I’ll investigate elsewhere.”

Rose giggled, as he’d intended her to, but that giggle transformed into a lengthy, throaty moan when his fingers pressed down on her clit, rubbing insistently.

“Oh my god, oh my god,” she panted, and he watched in delight as she absentmindedly squeezed her breast.

“Good?”

“Fuck.” She tilted her head, and he couldn’t resist nibbling at her neck. She grabbed hold of his hair. “Doctor, almost…”

His teeth released her neck and he raised his head to meet her eyes. “Go on,” he encouraged, and he looked so excited Rose almost smiled. She couldn’t believe they were finally here, doing this, doing this so well, and if he could just -

She arched up, angling herself to press against his fingers more firmly. “Gonna…” she breathed out, her mouth falling open.

“Come, Rose,” he murmured, and she flew over the edge, her arms wrapping around his back tightly as she clenched down on him, swearing quietly before digging her teeth into his shoulder to muffle the noises she was making.

“Blimey,” he groaned, letting go of the headboard and bringing both his hands up to hold her head, kissing where he could reach, her cheek, her temple, her slackened jaw. His hips moved back and forth a few more times, shallower now, but faster, and as he rode her through the aftershocks of her orgasm, he knew he was just seconds behind her.

Rose burrowed her nose in his clavicle, panting for breath as she waited for him to join her in completion, and the feeling of his hands supporting the back of her head so that she didn’t get a crick in her neck made her so absurdly happy that she didn’t even mind the weight of him pressing her body into the mattress, didn’t mind the way his pelvis kept brushing against where she was now incredibly oversensitised. 

“Rose,” he whispered urgently, and then he was as deep as he could be, pulsing into her, still cradling her head to him as he groaned out in pleasure.

It gave her the most pleasant type of shivers, and she stroked her hands down his back soothingly, before cupping his bum and holding him there for a few moments, knowing his straining muscles would soon relax and he’d be a boneless heap on top of her, but not even minding.

Once his mind had recovered from its blank, blissful state, he realised he was collapsed atop her, his body seemingly unable to summon any more energy. “Shit, sorry,” he muttered, stroking her hair before releasing her head. “Can you breathe?”

Rose laughed. “Yeah, just about,” she teased. “I’m fine.”

He smiled, and rolled onto his back, disengaging from her with a sigh. “Wow.” He turned his head to face hers on the pillow.

Rose loved the way he was looking at her, so intently, so focussed. “Good for you?” she asked, grinning.

“Better than I ever imagined that could possibly be,” he answered.

“I know, right?” she giggled happily. “And I didn’t even get to show you all my moves yet. Didn’t even need ‘em. Got so caught up in...god, Doctor.” She kissed his jaw. “You’re very good.”

He sniffed, tilting his head modestly. “Well…”

Cuddling up to him, Rose murmured, “Don’t get too arrogant about it though. That’ll just lead to complacency.”

The Doctor laughed, wrapping his arm around her, squeezing lightly. “You were perfect, by the way.”

“Ta,” she laughed back. A sudden thought passed through her mind. “Shit, we didn’t even talk about, um…”

“Hmm?”

She cleared her throat awkwardly. “Contraception.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that. I gave myself a contraceptive shot recently, and it lasts for a year, completely foolproof, won’t be around in your time for another century or so but - ”

Rose lifted her head and looked at him suspiciously. “Wait, what? How recently?”

A flush crept across his cheeks and he tugged on his ear, avoiding her gaze. “Well...a little while ago.”

“And how long’s that?”

He exhaled roughly. “Don’t laugh…”

“Why would I laugh?” she asked. “I admire you for being so responsible. I’m just curious to see exactly when you thought it was necessary to do that.”

“Look, I just thought it was a good idea, just in case. I had no...plans, or anything. I just thought it could happen, or - or not, but…”

“When, Doctor?”

He sighed, and stroked his forefinger along her collarbone. “A few weeks ago. We’d just - ” he paused to swallow, and his finger trailed up to her jaw, “- we’d been dancing all evening and you looked all flushed and happy in spite of what - what had happened, and I’d almost lost you and I thought perhaps - well, when we got back to the TARDIS you had this, um, this look in your eye and I sort of thought…”

“Are you talking about the coronation?”

“Maybe.”

She grinned, leaning up to give him a quick kiss.

“What was that for?” he asked.

“You’re adorable.”

“What!”

“And correct.”

“...what?”

“I did want to...I tried to hint, actually. Thought you didn’t pick up on it. Or that you did, but just wanted to ignore it.”

“Oh. No, I - I nipped out to the infirmary while you were getting ready for bed.”

Her cheeks actually ached with how widely she was smiling.

“You, er. You don’t mind? That I assumed…”

“Course not,” she assured him. “Like I said. Responsible. I usually am too, you know. I just got a little caught up in it all earlier and forgot to check with you.” She played with the hair on his chest for a few moments. “So, um. Why didn’t you come to me, that night, in the end?”

“I did,” he smiled, stroking a strand of her hair back from her eyes, tucking it behind her ear. “You were asleep.”

She gave him a dubious look. “I was awake for ages that night, Doctor. I know, because when it became clear that you weren’t coming to say goodnight, or...anything else, I took matters into my own hands.”

“You didn’t,” he protested, “I didn’t see you until - oh. Oh, you mean…” His eyes darkened. “Your own hands, hmm?” He shifted closer. “And what did you think about?”

“I think you can guess. Anyway, don’t change the subject. It must’ve been at least a couple of hours before I went to sleep that night. What took you so long?”

The Doctor wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against him gently, rolling onto his back and resting her head on his chest. “I was nervous. Might’ve paced around the TARDIS for a bit.”

“You weren’t ready,” she observed.

“I was worried, I think, that I was desperately wanting you that night because of the events of the day...nearly losing you like that, blimey, Rose. You’ve no idea how relieved and happy I was to see you turning to smile at me once you were all fully restored.”

“Course I do, I feel that relieved and happy whenever we reunite,” she said softly, pressing a kiss to his chest.

He smiled. “I knew that something had to be the catalyst, though. I’d always known that. Known that one day we’d give in. So once I finally worked up my nerve, I knocked on your door. You didn’t answer, so I admit I peeked in - just to check you were all right. You were out like a light.”

“And what did you do then?”

“I dunno, think I just went to the console room and tinkered.”

“Course you did,” Rose smirked.

He squeezed her briefly. “We’re here now.”

“We are,” she agreed happily, looking up at him. And then her stomach let out a loud gurgling sound.

He smiled at her lazily. “Want me to go get some chips?”

“I’ll be very grateful,” she replied with a hopeful grin.

Leaning down to give her a peck on the lips, he murmured, “See you in a bit.”

Rose nodded, and trailed a finger down his chest. “Don’t be too long.”

::

She’d dozed off by the time he came back with the food, so he held the chips beneath her nose and laughed his head off when the aroma woke her up within seconds.

“What the - oh. Mmm, lovely,” she moaned at the fantastic smell, waking herself up a bit by sitting up and taking the chips from him. She popped one into her mouth and groaned again. “Gorgeous,” she announced. She glanced at the Doctor, who was looking at her expectantly. “Thanks for getting them!” she said quickly, then added, “Oh, did you want some?”

“Nah, it’s all right, I ate my own basket on the way back from the chip shop.”

“Tut tut, impatience,” she chided playfully.

“I’ll think you’ll find I’ve been exceedingly patient about certain other things.”

“Please, as if you’re the one who has been going mad with frustration for months and months.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s supposed to mean that you, mister, have finally stopped leaving me hanging, thank god.”

He sniffed and shifted onto his side, lying down next to her. “If you’re suggesting that I deliberately got you hot and bothered and did nothing about it, then, well, pot calling kettle, Rose Tyler!”

“When did I ever do that?” she blinked at him innocently, but she couldn’t quite hide her grin when she went to eat another few chips.

He squinted at her in a mock glare, then stole a chip.

“Oi, you’ve had yours!”

He chewed and swallowed, then retorted, “You were making such orgasmic sounds whilst eating them that I thought yours must’ve been extra tasty or something.”

Rose rolled her eyes. “You’re just jealous that to me, chips are as good as sex.”

“You’re such a liar,” he laughed. “But fine, fine!” He raised his hands up in defeat. “Next time you try to seduce me in the TARDIS pool, I’ll just direct you to a chip shop.”

“Doctor, I didn’t seduce you.”

“Of course you did. Which means now, it’s my turn to seduce you,” he informed her wisely, taking the basket out of her hands putting it on the bedside table. Then, he rolled on top of her, kissing his way along her neck as she tried to hold back giggles.

“Rose, you’re being seduced, stop giggling.” He shifted the bedsheet so that it bared her to her belly button, and moved his lips down her body in a journey there. Her hands raked through his hair, but to his disappointment she tugged him back up her body.

“I appreciate the seduction, I really do, and we’ll definitely pick that back up some point soon, but Doctor, I’m knackered.”

He brushed her hair back from her eyes and smiled at her. “Okay.”

“Sorry,” she smiled back at him sheepishly.

The Doctor frowned at her. “You don’t have to apologise, don’t be daft.” He kissed her cheek and rolled off her. “Want me to stay?”

“Well, it is your bed. And most importantly, I am in it,” she pointed out.

“Is that a yes?”

“That’s a yes, if you want.”

He grinned. “Shall I get undressed again?”

“Naked cuddling?”

“Naked cuddling,” he confirmed.

She leant over to give him a quick snog. “Definitely.”

::

When Rose woke up, it wasn’t quite morning. The Doctor was spooned up behind her, one of his arms draped across her waist over the covers. Experimentally, she wiggled her bum, wondering whether - ah, yes. She grinned, and did it again. The Doctor groaned.

“Rose,” he muttered, his voice low and sleepy. “It’s the middle of the night.”

“And I’m ready for round two,” she replied cheekily. “Of course, if you’re not up for it - ”

He growled and pressed his erection into the small of her back. “Rose, I’m up for it. Just wanted to make sure you weren’t just teasing.”

She took his hand in hers and moved it underneath the covers. He took the hint, chuckling, and ran his fingers across her abdomen, before slipping downwards.

“Not just teasing,” she confirmed, her breath hitching.

The tips of two fingers dipped into her briefly, and then he moved his hand away.

She waited for a second, then moaned, “What are you - ”, turning her head to look at him. She caught him sucking his fingers into his mouth and her eyes widened.

His gaze caught hers and he slowly, sheepishly, withdrew his fingers. “Was that...impolite?” he asked.

Rose hastily rolled over onto her other side, so that she could face him properly, and kissed him hard on the mouth, her tongue darting out to touch his lower lip.

“Oh,” he smiled into her mouth. “Oh, good.”

::

When she woke up for the second time, she glanced blearily at the alarm clock on her bedside table and saw that it was ten in the morning. Stretching out, she expected to encounter the nice naked body of her co-sleeper, but her hand just met cold sheets. Rose closed her eyes tight with a sigh, then rolled over onto her side to face the empty side of the bed. She’d really thought he’d stay, thought he’d been ready last night to jump into the whole thing with her, sex and waking up together included. And morning sex. She’d been looking forward to morning sex. Though, technically, she supposed that they’d sort of ticked that box earlier on.

Still, she was disappointed. Drawing the sheet around herself, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and looked around his room, before remembering she didn’t have any clothes to gather up in here. She couldn’t seem to locate the dressing gown she’d worn the night before, either.

Instead, Rose rolled back her shoulders and determined that he’d just have to deal with her apprehending some of his clothes, then. She slipped on one of his light blue shirts, rolled the sleeves up to her elbows, and did a few buttons up, purposefully haphazardly. With a quick glance in the mirror she noticed her hair was a complete mess, courtesy of going to bed with it still damp the night before. She couldn’t even run her fingers through it very far, it was so tangled. She nipped into his ensuite bathroom, ran one of his brushes through it to tame it as much as possible, used the loo, then cleaned her teeth with a spare toothbrush she found in a cupboard.

Assessing herself in his bathroom mirror, including testing just how far she needed to bend over for him to see just the tiniest glimpse of her bum, she decided she was ready to face the day and the Time Lord - if she could find him, that was.

Her stomach rumbled, and she made her way to the kitchen. En route, though, she popped her head into the library, just to check, and caught sight of the Doctor’s messy brown hair poking up above the back of the sofa.

“Gotcha,” she murmured, and entered the library. “All right, Doctor?”

He abruptly shut the book he’d been reading, shoving it behind a cushion, and beamed up at her. “Morning!”

Rose was delighted to notice that as he took her in properly, his eyes sweeping down her form, his gaze darkened. Reaching him, she sat down next to him on the sofa, and took his glasses off his face. “Good morning,” she replied. “I woke up alone.”

“Ah. Faux pas, that, eh? Sorry,” he tugged on his ear awkwardly.

She shrugged a shoulder. “It’s all right. Just thought I’d let you know that you missed out on a hell of a show.”

His eyebrows jumped up, as his mind supplied him with a variety of delicious scenarios. “You, er...hm?” he squeaked.

Rose laughed. “I’m kidding.” She inched closer to him. “Seriously, though. You okay?”

“Very. Slightly regret sitting in here by myself instead of dozing next to your naked body. I say slightly, I mean completely.”

“You can make it up to me.”

“You’re wearing my shirt.”

“Had no clothes in your room.”

He swallowed hard, and reached out to toy with one of the buttons. “That could change, you know...if you want.”

“What do you mean?”

Curling his fingers to grip onto the shirt, he tugged her closer, and she moved a leg across his thighs to straddle his lap, her arms looping around his neck. His hands pressed into her back, keeping her secure in his hold. “I mean, as much as I would love to share my shirts with you, and as sexy as you look right now, we could, I dunno...move your clothes to my room? And your assortment of lotions and potions for the bathroom. And anything else you want.”

“Hmm…” she pretended to ponder, playing with the hair at the back of his neck. “Can I bring my photos?”

“Yes.”

“My souvenirs?”

“Yep.”

“My underwear?” she teased.

“Well, let’s not go too far,” he teased back, slipping his hands under the shirt she was wearing. “You’re doing quite well without that right now.”

“You mean it?”

He sighed. “Okay, fine, maybe you can bring those tiny ones you like to wear that barely exist; should have room for them in one of my drawers.”

“You think you’re so funny.”

“I _am_ so funny.”

“Seriously though, you want me to move into your room?”

He stroked his thumbs across her belly. “Yes.”

“You’re ready for that.”

“I am.”

“So you weren’t sneaking off scared this morning?”

“Nope. No sneaking here. I just sort of...left to get something, but forgot to go back.”

“You forgot to go back?” she asked, with a teasing grin. “To the hot blonde in your bed? You forgot?”

“If you must know, I got distracted reading this,” he said, moving a cushion and revealing the book he’d been reading before she’d found him.

“ _Massage 101?_ ” she read the title aloud, then burst out laughing. “What??”

“Well, wanted to learn some new techniques. I read _Massage for Dummies_ the day before yesterday, and then - ”

“You reduced me to a puddle of goo and you only learnt what to do the night before?” she asked in disbelief.

“To clarify, I obviously have a natural talent for it, but I needed a few pointers on the key parts of a human body to focus on.”

Rose collapsed against him in laughter again, hugging him to her. “God, you’re mad. And perfect.”

He tilted his head back and captured her lips with his for a quick kiss. “I feel the same about you.”

“Well then,” she smiled, staring at him happily. “What a pair.”

“Indeed,” he smirked back, sneaking his hands up to cup her boobs.

She shook her head. “Why are you such a bloke?”

“Did you know, Rose Tyler, that no one’s ever asked me that before.”

She slid his tie from his neck. “Must be a recent thing, then.”

“Mmm…” he murmured distractedly, as he undid the buttons and spread the shirt open to reveal her naked torso.

“It’s not a compliment.” She started on his buttons.

“Oh.”

“Anyway, are we going out today?”

He grinned as he pushed her shirt off her shoulders. “Could do.”

“Can we go back to bed for a bit first?”

“Absolutely.”

“Or, actually…” she mused.

“Mm?”

She shrugged. “I might find the idea of us doing naughty things on the sofa we cuddle on somewhat inspiring.”

The Doctor shot her an admiring look. “You keep having ideas like that, Rose Tyler,” he said proudly. “And we’ll have the best relationship in the universe.”

Within seconds, Rose was lying horizontal on the library sofa, and the Doctor’s head was between her thighs.

 

~ the end


End file.
